5.
Will Wright

Video game pioneer Will Wright speaks at the Game Developers Conference in 2010.

Wikipedia user Nomader/Creative Commons

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Video game pioneer Will Wright created The Sims, SimCity, and Spore. Each of his widely successful games share a certain spirit. For one thing, they rarely ever say "The End." Instead, his games let you tinker toward perfection, but let you define that perfection. Whether mapping out a digital city or directing the lives of a pixelated family, players follow whatever path interests them.

“Montessori taught me the joy of discovery," Mr. Wright toldThe Wall Street Journal. "It showed you can become interested in pretty complex theories, like Pythagorean theory, say, by playing with blocks. It’s all about learning on your terms, rather than a teacher explaining stuff to you. SimCity comes right out of Montessori."

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